OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of moxibustion at "Huantiao" (GB 30) on the expression of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the sciatic nerve trunk and ventral horn of spinal cord (L METHODS: A total of 48 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and a moxibustion group, 12 rats in each group. The rat model of primary sciatic pain was established by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in the model group and the moxibustion group. On the 8th day of the experiment, moxibustion was adopted at "Huantiao" (GB 30) in the moxibustion group for 5-10 min, once a day for 14 consecutive days. Sciatic nerve function index (SFI) was measured and compared in each group at day 1, 7, 14 and 21. On the 21st day of the experiment, HE staining was used to observe the morphology of ventral horn of rat spinal cord and sciatic nerve trunk. Immunohistochemical method and real-time PCR were used to detect mRNA and protein expressions of GAP-43 in the spinal cord and sciatic nerve trunk of rats. RESULTS: On day 7, 14 and 21, there was no statistical difference in SFI between the sham operation group and the normal group ( CONCLUSION Moxibustion at "Huantiao" (GB 30) could improve the sciatic nerve function in rats with primary sciatica and its mechanism may be related to improving the expression of GAP-43 and enhancing the self-repair ability of the sciatic nerve after injury.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; GAP-43 Protein/genetics* ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sciatic Nerve ; Sciatica/therapy* ; Spinal Cord

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture on the neural plasticity in rats with cerebral infarction and investigate its mechanism.

METHODSSixty rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, an acupuncture group and a non-acupuncture group, and each group was randomly divided into a 1-day subgroup, a 7-day subgroup and a 14-day subgroup. Cerebral infarction model was induced by the thread embolism method. The rats in the acupuncture group were treated by electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) for 20 minutes, once each day, while the rats in the sham operation group and the non-acupuncture group were just bound and fixed at the same time without acupuncture treatment. Neurological defects were assessed by Neurological Severity Score (NSS) and the changes of the expression of growth associated protein 43 (GAP-43) in peripheral nerve around cerebral infarction area were detected by immunohistochemistry technique.

RESULTSThe expression of the positive cells of GAP-43 around cerebral infarction area showed no significant distinction among the three groups at 1st day (P > 0.05), while the GAP-43 expression level of around cerebral infarction area in the acupuncture group (IOD:8. 990 1 +/- 0.098 7, 5.816 1 +/- 0.204 6) were significant higher than those in the sham operation group (IOD: 1.300 2 +/- 0.093 3, 1.362 6 +/- 0.216 6) and in the non-acupuncture group (IOD: 2.753 4 +/- 0.0875, 1.616 5 +/- 0.186 8) at 7th day and 14th day, respectively (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) can improve the neural function and promote its remodeling in rats with cerebral infarction and the relevant mechanisms may be involved in enhancement of GAP-43 expressions around ischemic region.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Cerebral Infarction ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroacupuncture ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo explore the changes in the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and growth- associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in retinal ganglial cells after neural transplantation.

METHODSThirty-nine rats were randomized into normal control group, nerve amputation group and nerve amputation with peripheral nerve transplantation group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the changes in the expressions of GFAP and GAP-43 at different time points after the operations, and real-time PCR was employed to detect the mRNA expressions of 13 genes in the retinal ganglial cells of the rats.

RESULTSImmunohistochemistry showed obviously increased GFAP expressions in the retina following the nerve amputation. GFAP expression was down-regulated while GAP-43 expression upregulated in the retinal ganglial cells after peripheral nerve transplantation. Real-time PCR results showed that 5 days after the operations, retinal GFAP and GAP-43 expressions increased significantly in the nerve amputation group and peripheral nerve transplantation groups as compared with those in the control group, but GAP-43 expression decreased significantly in the former two groups afterwards.

CONCLUSIONThe regenerated retina may adjust the production of GFAP. The retinal ganglial cells express GAP-43 during retinal regeneration. Up-regulation of the expression of GAP-43 provides the evidence for nerve regeneration following the nerve transplantation.

Animals ; Axons ; Female ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nerve Regeneration ; genetics ; Optic Nerve ; transplantation ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Retinal Ganglion Cells ; metabolism

The purpose of this study was to observe the expression of LINGO-1 after cerebral ischemia, investigate the effects of retinoic acid (RA) on the expression of LINGO-1 and GAP-43, and the number of synapses, and to emplore the repressive effect of LINGO-1 on neural regeneration after cerebral ischemia. The model of permanent focal cerebral ischemia was established by the modified suture method of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The expression of LINGO-1 was detected by Western blotting and that of GAP-43 by immunohistochemistry. The number of synapses was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The SD rats were divided into three groups: sham operation (sham) group, cerebral ischemia (CI) group and RA treatment (RA) group. The results showed that the expression level of LINGO-1 at 7th day after MCAO in sham, CI and RA groups was 0.266 ± 0.019, 1.215 ± 0.063 and 0.702 ± 0.081, respectively (P<0.01). The number of Gap-43-positive nerve cells at 7th day after MCAO in sham, CI and RA group was 0, 59.08 ± 1.76 and 76.20 ± 3.12 per high power field, respectively (P<0.05). The number of synapses at 7th day after MCAO was 8.42 ± 0.13, 1.74 ± 0.37 and 5.39 ± 0.26 per μm², respectively (P<0.05). It is concluded that LINGO-1 expression is up-regulated after cerebral ischemia, and RA inhibits the expression of LINGO-1, promotes the expression of GAP-43 and increases the number of synapses. It suggests that LINGO-1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia, which may provide an experimenal basis for LINGO-1 antogonist, RA, for the treatment of cerebral ischemia.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

This study investigated the effect of Lianmei Qiwu Decoction(LMQWD) on the improvement of cardiac autonomic nerve remodeling in the diabetic rat model induced by the high-fat diet and explored the underlying mechanism of LMQWD through the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/tropomyosin receptor kinase A(TrkA)/transient receptor potential melastatin 7(TRPM7) signaling pathway. The diabetic rats were randomly divided into a model group, an LMQWD group, an AMPK agonist group, an unloaded TRPM7 adenovirus group(TRPM7-N), an overexpressed TRPM7 adenovirus group(TRPM7), an LMQWD + unloaded TRPM7 adenovirus group(LMQWD+TRPM7-N), an LMQWD + overexpressed TRPM7 adenovirus group(LMQWD+TRPM7), and a TRPM7 channel inhibitor group(TRPM7 inhibitor). After four weeks of treatment, programmed electrical stimulation(PES) was employed to detect the arrhythmia susceptibility of rats. The myocardial cell structure and myocardial tissue fibrosis of myocardial and ganglion samples in diabetic rats were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining. The immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), and Western blot were adopted to detect the distribution and expression of TRPM7, tyrosine hydroxylase(TH), choline acetyltransferase(ChAT), growth associated protein-43(GAP-43), nerve growth factor(NGF), p-AMPK/AMPK, and other genes and related neural markers. The results showed that LMQWD could significantly reduce the arrhythmia susceptibility and the degree of fibrosis in myocardial tissues, decrease the levels of TH, ChAT, and GAP-43 in the myocardium and ganglion, increase NGF, inhibit the expression of TRPM7, and up-regulate p-AMPK/AMPK and p-TrkA/TrkA levels. This study indicated that LMQWD could attenuate cardiac autonomic nerve remodeling in the diabetic state, and its mechanism was associated with the activation of AMPK, further phosphorylation of TrkA, and inhibition of TRPM7 expression.
Rats ; Animals ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapy* ; TRPM Cation Channels/metabolism* ; GAP-43 Protein/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Diabetic Neuropathies/genetics* ; Fibrosis

Neodiplostomum seoulense (Digenea: Neodiplostomidae) is an intestinal trematode that can cause severe mucosal pathology in the small intestines of mice and even mortality of the infected mice within 28 days after infection. We observed neuronal growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expression in the myenteric plexus of the small intestinal wall of N. seoulense-infected mice until day 35 post-infection (PI). BALB/c mice were infected with 200 or 500 N. seoulense metacercariae isolated from naturally infected snakes and were killed every 7 days for immunohistochemical demonstration of GAP-43 in the small intestines. N. seoulense-infected mice showed remarkable dilatation of intestinal loops compared with control mice through days 7-28 PI. Conversely, GAP-43 expression in the mucosal myenteric plexus was markedly (P<0.05) reduced in the small intestines of N. seoulense-infected mice during days 7-28 PI and was slightly normalized at day 35 PI. From this study, it is evident that neuronal damage occurs in the intestinal mucosa of N. seoulense-infected mice. However, the correlation between intestinal pathology, including the loop dilatation, and depressed GAP-43 expression remains to be elucidated.
Animals ; *Down-Regulation ; Female ; GAP-43 Protein/*genetics/metabolism ; Humans ; Intestine, Small/*metabolism/parasitology ; Male ; Metacercariae/growth & development/isolation & purification ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Trematoda/growth & development/isolation & purification/*physiology ; Trematode Infections/*genetics/metabolism/parasitology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of endogenous brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on GAP-43 expression in the anterior horn of the spinal cord in rats following sciatic nerve injury.

METHODSBDNF antibody was injected intraperitoneally in rats with crushing injury of the sciatic nerve, and the control rats received normal saline only after sciatic nerve injury. At 7 and 14 days after the injection, the expression of GAP-43 in the anterior horn of the corresponding segments of the spinal cord was detected by Western blot and RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe expressions of GAP-43 protein and mRNA in the anterior horn of the spinal cord were significantly down-regulated in rats with BDNF antibody injection as compared with those in the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEndogenous BDNF may regulate the expression of GAP-43 in the spinal cord anterior horn after sciatic nerve injury in rats.

Animals ; Anterior Horn Cells ; metabolism ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; physiology ; Down-Regulation ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sciatic Nerve ; injuries ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of prenatal exposure to low level lead on the protein and mRNA expression of growth-associated protein (GAP-43) in hippocampus of rat's offspring, and to explore the molecular mechanisms of lead on learning and memory.

METHODSThe pregnant rats were randomizedly divided into 4 groups and provided with doubly evaporated water in control group and 125, 250, 500 mg/L lead acetate solution via drinking water in treatment groups respectively during pregnancy. When the rat's offspring was 1, 21, 60 days old, the lead content in hippocampus was measured by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, and the GFAP protein and mRNA expression at hippocampal CA1 region were observed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThe content of lead in the hippocampus was (1.64 +/- 0.32), (2.33 +/- 0.42) and (3.28 +/- 0.58) microg/L, and (0.94 +/- 0.18), (1.27 +/- 0.26) and (1.79 +/- 0.42) microg/L respectively in the low, middle and high lead dosage group when the rat's offspring was one day and 21 day old. When the rat's offspring was 1, 21 days old, the content of lead in hippocampus in treatment groups was significant higher than that of control (P < 0.05), the integral optical density of GAP-43 protein and mRNA expression (except low dosage treatment at 21 d) were significantly decreased compared with the control (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference at 60-day old offsprings for the parameters above.

CONCLUSIONExposure to low level lead during pregnancy could inhibit the GAP-43 protein and mRNA expression in hippocampus of rat's offspring, which may be one of the molecular mechanisms of lead on learning and memory.

Animals ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lead ; toxicity ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVEThis study explored the effects of levetiracetam (LEV) on the expression of nerve cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) mRNA in the hippocampus of rats with epilepsy induced by lithium-pilocarpine (Li-PILO) in order to provide a basis for investigating the antiepileptic mechanism of LEV and its doseresponse.

METHODSForty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control, a Li-PILO model and two LEV treatment groups (LEV: 150 and 300 mg/kg) (n=12 each). The LEV treatment groups received LEV by intragastric administration 6 hrs after status epilepticus (once daily for 2 two weeks). The expressions of NCAM and GAP-43 mRNA in the hippocampus was determined by real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of NCAM and GAP-43 mRNA in the Li-PILO model group was significantly higher than in the normal control group (P<0.05). LEV treatment of 150 and 300 mg/kg significantly decreased the expression of NCAM and GAP-43 mRNA compared with the Li-PILO model group (P<0.05). The LEV treatment group at the dose of 300 mg/kg showed significantly lower expression of NCAM and GAP-43 mRNA than the 150 mg/kg LEV treatment group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLi-PILO can up-regulate the expressions of NCAM and GAP-43 mRNA in the hippocampus of rats with epilepsy. LEV can inhibit the expression of NCAM and GAP-43 mRNA and the effect is associated with the dose of LEV.

Animals ; Anticonvulsants ; therapeutic use ; Epilepsy ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules ; genetics ; Piracetam ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Draconis Sanguis-containing serum on the expressions of NGF, BDNF, CNTF, LNG-FR, TrkA, GDNF, GAP-43 and NF-H in Schwann cells, and investigate the possible mechanism of Draconis Sanguis to promote peripheral nerve regeneration.

METHODSD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: the Draconis Sanguis group (orally administered with Draconis Sanguis-containing balm solution) and the blank group (equivoluminal balm) to prepare Draconis Sanguis-containing serum and blank control serum. Schwann cells were extracted from double sciatic nerves of three-day-old SD rats, divided into 2 groups: the Draconis Sanguis group and the blank control group, and respectively cultured with 10% Draconis Sanguis-containing serum or blank control serum. The mRNA expressions of NGF, BDNF, CNTF and other genes in Schwann cells were measured by RT-PCR analysis 48 hours later.

RESULTMost of the Schwann cells were bipolar spindle and arranged shoulder to shoulder or end to end under the microscope and identified to be positive with the immunocytochemical method. To compare with the blank group, mRNA expressions of NGF, LNGFR, GDNF and GAP-43 significantly increased (P < 0.01). Whereas that of BDNF decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and so did that of TrkA, CNTF (P < 0.01), with no remarkable difference in NF-H-mRNA.

CONCLUSIONTraditional Chinese medicine Draconis Sanguis may show effect in nerve regeneration by up-regulating mRNA expressions of NGF, LNGFR, GDNF and GAP-43 and down-regulating mRNA expressions of TrkA, BDNF and CNTF.

Animals ; Arecaceae ; chemistry ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; GAP-43 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nerve Regeneration ; drug effects ; Neurofilament Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, trkA ; genetics ; metabolism ; Schwann Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Serum ; chemistry